


skies alight with a guitar bite

by argentumlupine



Category: Bandom, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Community: bandom_meme, Gen, Podfic Available
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-02
Updated: 2012-09-02
Packaged: 2017-11-13 09:58:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/502235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/argentumlupine/pseuds/argentumlupine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When My Chemical Romance is on break, Ray joins an AC/DC cover band.</p>
            </blockquote>





	skies alight with a guitar bite

**Author's Note:**

  * For [akamine_chan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/akamine_chan/gifts).



> For [this prompt](http://bandom-meme.dreamwidth.org/5148.html?thread=251932#cmt251932) at [bandom_meme](http://bandom-meme.dreamwidth.org). 
> 
> Title from "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)" by AC/DC. 
> 
> Beta by my lovely [Andeincascade](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Ande/pseuds/Andeincascade).
> 
>  
> 
> You can listen to the podfic by reena_jenkins [here](http://reena-jenkins.livejournal.com/115633.html). :)

When Ray spotted the flier posted on the telephone pole, he reached out and ripped off one of the phone number strips at the bottom without breaking stride. _NT/TE. An AC/DC cover band!_ the flier said, and underneath it said _WANTED: Lead Guitar | Bass | Singer. Call Dominic at 973-555-0712._

He tucked the slip of paper into his pocket. He’d think about it. Cover band would give him something to do. 

 

\--

 

He found the slip of paper two days later when he was doing a pockets check before tossing his jeans in the washing machine. It took a moment before he remembered what the paper was for. He put the slip of paper on top of the dryer, but couldn’t stop himself from looking at it while he finished getting the laundry started. He kept staring at it for a few minutes after the machine chugged to life, then grabbed it and headed for the living room.

Cover band for AC/DC. Yes.

He dialed the number. It only rang once before a deep, chipper-sounding voice answered.

“Hi, this is Dominic.”

“Hi, I’m Ray. I’m calling about the band.”

“Oh!” Ray heard a clatter that he thought might be drumsticks and equipment. “Awesome. What do you play?”

“Guitar.”

“Sweet. I was hoping you weren’t going to say bass, because I auditioned someone yesterday who I think is going to work out. Good deal. So. Um. Yeah. When are you free? Can you come by tomorrow around 4:30? Everyone else will be here then, you can meet the rest of the band, we can practice if you fit.”

“Tomorrow at 4:30 works.”

“Great!” Dominic rattled off his address. “Cool. See you tomorrow, then.”

 

\--

 

Ray assumed he had the right house because he could see a drum kit and amps in the open garage. He parked behind the silver Honda on the street.

“Hi!” someone said from behind him while he was getting his gear out of his trunk. Ray nearly dropped his guitar in surprise. He set it down and turned. “I’m Dominic,” the guy said, holding out a hand. Ray shook it.

“Ray.”

Dominic beamed. “Nice to meet you. You need a hand with your gear?”

“Sure,” Ray said. Dominic grabbed his amp, and they walked over to the garage. 

“So I was hoping you know ‘Thunderstruck’ because it’s my favorite and I really want to play it live. But we don’t have to start there.” He kept talking as he set the amp down and plugged it in. “I mean, if you can play that you’re in for sure, right?” He stepped back.

“Sure,” Ray said. He took a minute to get his guitar ready, then started “Thunderstruck.” After a few bars he looked up to see Dominic staring at him, and Ray could almost see the stars in his eyes. He grinned back and kept going, but Dominic reached out to stop him before he even got to the verse. 

“You’re in. You’re so in. If you were any more in, you’d be back out again. DUDE. Oh my god. You’re awesome!” Dominic scurried over to his own guitar. “Start over, I want to see what it’s like to play with lead.”

After “Thunderstruck” they played “Highway to Hell” and “Back in Black” because, as Dominic said, “People coming to see an AC/DC cover band expect those, right? And they’re good songs!”

They were in the middle of “Shoot To Thrill” when a black Toyota pulled into the driveway. Dominic stopped playing immediately and set his guitar aside. Ray followed suit as a tall, really built guy around his age climbed out of the driver’s seat, and a woman wearing a tie-dye shirt and denim jumper dress climbed out of the passenger seat. 

“Aaron, Madge, this is Ray, our new guitarist,” Dominic said. “Ray, this is my cousin Aaron, who plays drums, and Madge, who’s on bass.”

Aaron shook hands enthusiastically. “This is great,” he said. “Now all we need is a singer.”

Before he could stop himself, Ray said, “I could try.”

Madge raised an eyebrow. “AC/DC has five members.”

“We’re not AC/DC,” Aaron said. “And so far, no one’s called about doing vocals, right?”

“Not a one.” Dominic studied Ray. “Let’s try it out for now, but if we get another singer…”

“That’s fine,” Ray said. “I’ve never done lead guitar and lead vocals before. It may not work.”

“Let’s see what you’ve got,” Madge said. 

 

\--

 

“Okay, if we don’t find a singer, you’ll do,” Madge said. “But I still think we should have five people.”

“You sure you’ll be okay singing and playing?” Dominic asked. “Because I can’t step up to lead and I definitely can’t sing.”

“Not it,” Aaron said. “Back-up, yes. Lead, no.”

“I’m used to playing and singing,” Ray said. “Usually back-up, but I’ve got this.”

Madge started picking out a bass line, and the conversation died as they got down to practicing.

 

\--

 

Ray knew why he was nervous. This would be the first gig where he’d be the front man, instead of hanging over at stage left waiting for Gerard to take the lead. Dominic had refused to do the lead-in chatter. 

“It’s your band,” Ray tried to say, but Dominic cut him off.

“Yeah, and you’re the lead. Crowd-talking is your job.”

Ray talked himself down, reminding himself that it was a small crowd, he only had to introduce the band, and after that he can lose himself in singing and playing. It would be fine. 

His hands still shook a little as they went up on stage. He took a deep breath and grabbed the microphone, looking over the top of the crowd as he spoke.

“Thanks for coming out! We’re NT/TE and we’re here to give you AC/DC!” Ray didn’t wait for the cheers to die down, just took a step back, turned to nod at Aaron, and they launched into “Back In Black.”

Ray tried, at first, to keep his expression serious while he sang and played, but playing AC/DC was too much fun, especially with Madge and Dominic moving to the music behind him. He grinned, letting himself go all out for the guitar solos, head-banging and bouncing around the stage when the mood struck, and, during “Highway To Hell,” dropping to his knees and really letting go.

When they finished, his cheeks hurt from grinning. They’d only done five songs, and Ray wished they could have played every song they knew. They waved to the cheering crowd and hustled to get their gear off stage so the next band could play. 

“That was AWESOME!” Dominic cried, giving high-fives all around. “Man, you have got to show me that guitar-on-the-ground thing you did at the end.”

Ray laughed. “Sure.”

Madge held up her hands. “Okay, you were right. AC/DC cover band works just as well with four people.”

“Beer to celebrate?” Dominic asked.

“Child, are you even old enough to drink?” Madge asked.

“I’m twenty-three! Just because you and my mom were in high school together—”

She cut him off with, “Are you sure you want to get into it with me? If I can handle a class of seventh-graders, I can handle you.”

Ray leaned against the brick wall beside Aaron, listening to them bicker. 

“You’d think they were related,” Aaron said. He raised his voice. “How about that beer?”

Madge checked her watch. “Can’t. Promised the sitter I’d be back by midnight. Bring me a beer to practice on Tuesday!” She waved and headed for her car.

“Can’t stay long,” Aaron said when they slid into seats at the bar. “I’m working tomorrow morning.”

They chatted for a little while, but within half an hour they were on their way home. 

After Ray hauled his gear into the house, he checked his phone, grinning when he saw the texts.

_did you like fronting? should I worry?_ — Gerard

_theres a vid on yt already. looked like u were having fun_ — Mikey

_M sent me a video. You shouldve worn the shorts. Not ac/dc without pasty white legs._ — Frank

_your legs arent pasty. Still, SHORTS._ — Frank

 

\--

 

Ray’s brothers made it to the second gig, so even if his best friends were across the country, this time he had support in the crowd. 

They played “Thunderstruck” this time, at Dominic’s insistence, and when they got to “Highway To Hell,” Dominic shoved a pair of light-up devil horns on Ray’s head. Ray laughed, especially when in the middle of a guitar solo, his head-banging made the horns fall back to tangle in his hair. He left them there, playing and singing with all he had.

Afterward, he introduced his brothers to everyone, and they stuck around for hours, talking. 

 

\--

 

Frank and Jamia made it to the fourth show, since they were in Jersey visiting family. 

Getting a Frank-tackle after the show was something Ray hadn’t realized he’d been missing. 

“On fucking FIRE, Toro!” Frank said.

“Thanks.”

“I still say you should’ve worn the shorts.”

“He’s probably afraid of his effect on the audience,” Madge said, fanning herself for a moment before she doubled over with laughter.

“If he ever wore short shorts,” Dominic said, wheezing through giggles, “I think half the audience would go up in flames.”

Frank grinned. “Your legs _are_ pretty legendary. I guess for the sake of your fans you’d better keep the pants.”

 

\--

 

The gigs weren’t a regular thing, but practices were. It was nice to have a musical outlet, something to do to get him out of the house. And the gigs were great. Ray was almost sad when he had to tell them he was headed to L.A.

“Next week’s my last gig,” he said. “We’re going back into the studio soon.”

“We’re going to miss you,” Dominic said. “This has been awesome.”

“It really has,” Ray said. 

Madge looked thoughtful. “We could do Green Day or Nirvana covers until you go back on break,” she said. 

“Are _you_ singing?” Dominic asked. “Because I call NOT IT!”

She shrugged. “I could do it.” She turned back to Ray. “And when you’re on break again, you’re back with us for AC/DC. Right?”

“Yeah.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Let’s make the last show memorable,” Aaron said. “Ray, wear the shorts? Please?”

Ray sighed. “I’ll play, I’ll sing, I’ll wear the button-down and jacket or the muscle shirt, vest, and cap. I’ll even wear the devil horns. But I draw the line at shorts.”

“Can we at least practice ‘Let There Be Rock’ for the final show?” Aaron asked. “If it’s the last show, we _have_ to play it.”

“Yeah!” Dominic said. He slung his guitar strap around his neck. “Let’s do it!”

“How long can you make the guitar solo?” Madge asked as she picked up her bass. 

“Long enough,” Ray said, and hit the first chord, Madge and Dominic jumping in right away. He heard sticks clatter to the ground behind him.

“Start over! I wasn’t ready!” Aaron complained.

“Catch up!” Madge said just as the guitars dropped out and Ray started to sing. 

“In the beginning…”

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] skies alight with a guitar bite](https://archiveofourown.org/works/678055) by [reena_jenkins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reena_jenkins/pseuds/reena_jenkins)




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